U.S. Cruisers by Norman Friedman (1984, Hardcover)

This is another in a whole series of books by Norman Friedman detailing the development of various classes of warships in the U. S. Navy. This book covers cruisers. It describes in detail the many factors that must be taken into consideration and balanced when designing warships. Although the text might be a bit dry for those not deeply interested in military science, the many photos and illustrations make this a book that even a casual fan of military history would enjoy. Other books in the series cover destroyers, battleships, aircraft carriers, submarines, and other combatant ships. I own almost all of them, and recommend them highly.